Cougars rally, eliminate Bears BYU’s 7-run fifth staggers Maine

loading...

LOS ANGELES – One minute, the University of Maine baseball team was fired up and confident.

A few minutes later, Brigham Young had generated more than enough momentum to carry it to victory.

The fourth-seeded Cougars sprang on Black Bears starter Mike Collar for seven runs in the fifth inning Saturday, providing the impetus for a 12-5 victory in an elimination game at the NCAA Los Angeles Regional at the University of Southern California’s Dedeaux Field.

The loss put an end to a superb 40-17 season by coach Paul Kostacopoulos’ Bears, who had gone into the regional as the No. 3 seed. BYU (31-30-1) upset Cal State Northridge 7-2 in Saturday’s final game to advance to Monday’s championship round against tourney host Southern Cal. It is against BYU’s policy to play on Sundays.

BYU must beat USC twice to win the regional. USC defeated Cal State Northridge 7-5.

America East champion UMaine, which made its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1993, returned home unfulfilled but proud of having advanced as far as it did.

“Everyone came out here focused; we played as hard as we could,” said UMaine junior Joe Drapeau of Biddeford. “That’s all you really can ask for.”

Kostacopoulos, who conceded his Bears had their hands full with the high-caliber western teams at the regional, had no regrets.

“I didn’t need the season to end to feel very proud of this entire group of kids,” Kostacopoulos said. “You can’t win 40 games and not have people out there doing the job.”

Only moments after watching the Bears score four runs to take a 5-2 lead, BYU put together the rally that would give it the edge on the scoreboard and in their minds.

Collar (8-4) struggled a bit with his control and the Cougars sprinkled in some clutch hits while breaking loose for seven runs. Cameron Coughlan walked, Dave Jensen beat out an infield single, and Jake Stubblefield was hit by a pitch, loading the bases.

Rob Itri punched a two-run double down the line in left, then the tying run scored on a wild pitch. Collar walked Kevin Bills before getting the first out on a fielder’s choice grounder, but Ranger Wiens lined an RBI single to right-center to chase the Bears’ sophomore righthander.

“All a coach can ask is that a guy give you everything he’s got and I think he’s done that,” Kostacopoulos said of Collar.

Freshman Paul Bruder came on and surrendered an RBI single to Doug Jackson and Coughlan’s run-producing fielder’s choice before fanning Jensen for the third out. BYU led 9-5 and had regained the psychological advantage.

“That put us back to reality,” said UMaine’s Alain Picard. “It’s a lot tougher to come back against that type of team.”

The Cougars tallied three big runs in the seventh to put the game out of reach.

“Once we started to get down, it might have been a little tougher to battle at the plate, but overall I think we played as hard as we could and I’m happy with our effort,” said Aaron Young of Augusta, who paced UMaine with four singles.

Sophomore Scott Koffman (4-4) was outstanding in relief for BYU. The righthander wasn’t overpowering, but limited the Bears to one hit and five runs in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out two and walked three.

“He’s a quality pitcher for us,” said BYU coach and former major leaguer Vance Law, who explained Koffman was the team’s No. 2 starter earlier in the season before having arm trouble.

“I think that he’s actually quite comfortable coming out of the bullpen,” Law said. “He has a good mix of his pitches and has pretty good command of all of them.”

Wiens doubled twice and singled with two RBIs and Jensen stroked a double and two singles with two RBIs to lead BYU’s 14-hit attack. Tobin singled twice for the Bears.

Freshman righty Greg Creek of Chelsea was solid in his first collegiate postseason appearance. He held BYU to two hits in 2 2/3 innings, striking out two and walking two.

BYU kept the pressure on UMaine, taking advantage of its outstanding team speed while stealing six bases.

“They’ve got a lot more speed. Speed is what kills,” Drapeau said.

Trailing 2-1, UMaine broke loose for four fourth-inning runs against BYU starter Jason Garcia.

Drapeau one-hopped a double off the fence in left, Mike Ross drew a one-out walk, and Pat Tobin yanked an RBI double down the right-field line. Mark Reichley followed with a run-scoring single to left, then Mike Livulpi delivered a sacrifice fly to right.

Garcia was lifted after allowing Young’s opposite-field single to left and hitting Brett Ouellette with a pitch. Koffman walked Alain Picard to force in the fourth run, then retired Drapeau on a flyout to right.

But just as quickly, UMaine’s lead and its confidence were gone.

BYU took a 1-0 lead in the first when Coughlan walked with one out and raced to third on Jensen’s single to right. Jensen stole second, Stubblefield walked and Itri plated the run with a chopper to first base.

The Bears tied it in the third when Livulpi singled to right, stole second, moved up when Ouellette bounced into a fielder’s choice, and scored on Picard’s fielder’s choice grounder.

The Cougars made it 2-1 in the fourth when Lars Birkeland singled with two out, stole second, and trotted home when Wiens roped a double to left-center.

COUGARS 12, BLACK BEARS 5

(Saturday Afternoon)

Brigham Young (30-30-1) Maine (40-17)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Jackson, cf 4 1 1 1 Young, rf 5 0 0

Coughlan, 2b 2 3 1 1 Ouellette, 2b 3 0 0

Thurgood, 2b 1 0 1 0 a-Reynolds 1 0 0

Jensen, 1b 6 1 3 2 Picard, c 2 0 2

Stubblefield, lf 2 1 1 1 b-Saunders 1 0

Yi, lf` 1 0 0 0 Drapeau, 3b 4 1 0

Itri, 3b 5 1 1 3 Izaryk, dh 3 0 0

Chambers, rf 4 0 1 1 Ross, lf 2 1 0

Bills, dh 4 1 0 0 Tobin, 1b 4 1 1

Birkeland, c 5 3 2 0 Reichley, ss 4 1 1

Wiens, ss 5 1 3 2 Livulpi, cf 3 1 1

Totals 39 12 14 11 Totals 32 5 9 5

a-flied out for Ouellette in ninth, b-struck out for Picard in ninth

BYU 100 170 300 ? 12

Maine 001 400 000 ? 5

LOB?BYU 11, Maine 7; 2B?Jensen, Itri, Wiens 2; Drapeau, Tobin; DP?Wines-Coughlan-Jensen (2); Ouellette-Reichley-Tobin; SF?Stubblefield; Livulpi; SB?Jensen (13), Coughlan 2 (31), Birkeland 2 (7), Stubblefield (1); Young (11), Livulpi (17)

Brigham Young Univ. IP H R ER BB SO

Garcia 3 2/3 8 5 5 2 1

Koffman (W, 4-4) 5 1/3 1 0 0 3 2

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

Collar (L, 8-4) 4 1/3 9 9 9 4 0

Bruder 2 3 3 3 3 1

Creek 2 2/3 2 0 0 2 2

HBP?Ouellette by Garcia; Stubblefield by Collar; WP?Collar; T?3:13; ATT?347